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Agra & the

Includes  Why Go? History...... 353 The magical allure of the Taj Mahal draws tourists to Sights...... 353 like moths to a wondrous flame. And despite the hype, it’s Activities...... 361 every bit as good as you’ve heard. But the Taj is not a stand- Tours...... 361 alone attraction. The legacy of the has left a magnificent fort and a liberal sprinkling of fascinating Sleeping...... 362 tombs and mausoleums; and there’s also fun to be had in Eating...... 365 the bustling chowks (marketplaces). The downside comes Drinking in the form of hordes of rickshaw-wallahs, touts, unofficial & Nightlife...... 367 guides and souvenir vendors, whose persistence can be in- Shopping...... 367 furiating at times. . . . . 371 Agra straddles a large bend along the holy River. The fort and the Taj, 2km apart, both overlook the river on different parts of the bend. The main train and bus stations are a few kilometres southwest. Best Places to Eat ¨¨Pinch of Spice (p366) ¨¨Mama Chicken (p366) When to Go ¨¨Esphahan (p366) Agra °C/°F Te mp Rainfall inches/mm ¨¨Vedic (p366) 40/104 32/800

30/86 24/600

Best Places 20/68 16/400 to Sleep 10/50 8/200 ¨¨Tourists Rest House (p364) 0/32 0 J FDM A M J J A S O N ¨¨N Homestay (p363) ¨¨Oberoi Amarvilas (p363) Sep–Oct The best Nov–Feb Daytime Mar Evening time to visit. Most temperatures chill is gone but ¨¨The Retreat (p363) of the monsoon are comfortable raging-hot mid- rains are over and but big sights are summer temper- summer tempera- overcrowded. Eve- atures haven’t yet tures have cooled. nings are nippy. materialised. Agra & the Taj Mahal AGRA 353 ------b h d a u t ag - al B eh ah ad l aj 1 4 ah M # # T m #\ i au 5 M # m It D 3 rt ra # eu o s l 7 g s 8 # F ra # k o 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 66666666666666666666666666666666 6 A g s a ar' al r A b aar g au W k A M A az B

6 # ari a r n i d (p367) (p367) Kinari Bazaar Mausoleum Akbar’s (p361) (p361) Walks Agra a n K r a u k p Strolling deeper into ancient deeper into Strolling guides. with local Agra 6 7 8 Boggling your senses in one senses your Boggling mesmerising most ’s of – markets. – and hectic (p360) Visiting (p360) Visiting the place resting impressive Mughal the greatest of emperor. i l 6 6 6 6 6 6 666666666666666666666666666666666666666666 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 S a #\ M #\

a mun Ya Sights 0562 / POP1.7 MILLION chaeological Survey (ASI) and the of India Of the Development AssociationAgra (ADA). spe a is ₹500 Mahal, Taj the for ticket ₹1000 small sav you ticket, which gives cial ADA ings on the other four sights if visited in the ministrative role, Agra developed as a centre role, Agra ministrative becoming fa quickly industry, for heavy mous for its chemicals industry and air pol abecame tourism and beforelution, Taj the major source of income. Agra % 1 sightsmain five TheAgra’s for fee entrance Sikri, Akbar’s Fatehpur Fort, Agra – the Taj, – comprises and Itimad-ud-Daulah Tomb bodies: the Ar different from two charges - - - - (p358) Bagh Mehtab (p358) Fort Agra Itimad-ud-Daulah Wandering the many rooms rooms the many Wandering most India’s one of of ancient forts. impressive (p360) Marveling at the (p360) Marveling an exquisite of marble-work Taj. nicknamed the Baby tomb 3 4 5 Relaxing in gardens with in gardens Relaxing of views sunset perfect the Taj. m k 0 s 1 e l i m 5 \ # #\ i l o #\ a a

r r i e K n h h c A r u p (p354) Mahal (p354) Taj (p371) Sikri (p371) Fatehpur eh ri 0 0 k #\ 2 i Roaming a sprawling palace palace a sprawling Roaming Mughal from complex and with an immense times, 450-year-old fascinating door. next mosque 2 1 Agra & theTaj Mahal Highlights Basking in the beauty of of the beauty in Basking famous the most one of – a world in the buildings must-see! In 1761 Agra fell to the Jats, a warrior class fell to the Jats, Agra 1761 In at # # S F e ing the First War of Independence of 1857, of 1857, of Independence ing the First War the British shifted of the the administration of its ad province to Allahabad. Deprived who looted its monuments, including the Taj the Taj including monuments, who looted its but in 1770, took over The Marathas Mahal. in 1803. Follow replaced by the British were feated the last Lodi sultan at Panipat. Agra the last Lodifeated Panipat. sultan at be reached the peak of its magnificence the mid-16th and mid-17thtween centuries and Jehangir during the reigns of Akbar, the fort, During this period . and other major mausoleums Mahal Taj the built a new 1638 Shah Jahan built. In were moved in Delhi, and his son city later. the capital there 10 years History Lodi Sultan Sikander 1501 established his In fell into Mughal capital here, but the city when Emperor de hands in 1526, #\